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Foyt Bumps His Way Into Indy Field Before Crash

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The Associated Press

Published: May 19, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - A.J. Foyt IV had to deal with wind and then fire Sunday before his starting spot in the 92nd Indianapolis 500 was secure.

At least it didn't rain.

The grandson of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt began the final day of qualifying for Sunday's race as a non-qualifier, needing to bump his way into the 33-car field.

The biggest obstacle was the howling wind, blowing at a steady 20 mph and also gusting at times at least 10 mph harder.

But Foyt, who tried twice Saturday to qualify - getting caught by the wind and nearly hitting the wall on his first attempt and having the second try aborted before he even began by a broken gearbox - persevered. Moments after the 2.5-mile oval was opened for qualifying at noon, the 23-year-old driver gritted his teeth and made a solid, four-lap qualifying run averaging 219.184 mph.

That was easily good enough to bump Marty Roth, the slowest of the first 33 qualifiers at 215.506, from the tentative field.

"It's not easy," Foyt said. "Each corner you have to approach a little bit differently. It is really tough, especially the speed you carry around here. ... I'm just glad to get out there and put four laps in."

About 90 minutes later, Roth, a 49-year-old Canadian land developer and father of five, bounced back into the lineup with a four-lap run of 218.965 that knocked 1996 Indy winner Buddy Lazier's 217.939 out of the field and put the 218.010 of Roger Yasukawa "on the bubble" as the slowest qualifying speed.

After that, Foyt blew an engine and crashed hard against the wall. He had a slight burn to the back of his neck but was otherwise unhurt.
Foyt was taken to the infield hospital for a routine examination and later released and cleared to drive. Speedway medical officials said he also had some singed hair.

After all the bumping, Roth (218.965) and Lazier (219.015) got into the field. The final field includes former Indy winners Dan Wheldon of St. Petersburg, Helio Castroneves, Buddy Rice and Lazier, as well as 11 rookies, led by 19-year-old Graham Rahal.

NHRA: Tony Schumacher won the Top Fuel division in the rain-delayed O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals, beating Larry Dixon in the final round with a 4.555-second pass at 306.81 mph at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway.

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